The birth of a healthy child is a time of celebration, and doctors will go to great lengths to ensure that the delivery goes as smoothly as possible. But as a parent, it’s normal to have concerns about the safety of your new baby, especially if there are complications along the way.

One of the most common complications, known as premature birth, occurs when a baby is delivered before it has the chance to fully develop. This can cause serious, even life-threatening medical issues for the child.

While not every premature birth is due to medical malpractice, some of them are. Read on to learn the difference, and what you can do when your child is born prematurely.

Premature births and medical malpractice

Typically, a healthy pregnancy will last about 40 weeks, after which the baby is said to be “full term,” but some babies are born as early as 24 weeks into the pregnancy. When this happens, the baby is vulnerable to a number of health risks, including:

  • Developmental delays
  • Heart and lung problems
  • Vision problems, hearing loss, and other long-term disabilities
  • Trouble maintaining a healthy weight
  • A weakened immune system

Premature birth poses many challenges for the child and the parents, and unfortunately, these don’t always go away as the child gets older. Children born prematurely may have difficulty with learning, socializing, and self-care, and some of these may continue into adulthood.

Because of the extra care that these children often need, parents should receive the fullest compensation possible in the event of medical malpractice.

What to do if you suspect medical malpractice

You and your baby are entitled to a high standard of care from your doctor, and in most cases, you can trust your doctor to provide it. But some doctors will break with protocol, ignore warning signs, or otherwise endanger the health and safety of those in their care.

Recognizing medical malpractice isn’t easy, but there are options for you and your family. If the unthinkable happens and your baby is harmed by medical personnel, your best option is to seek out help from an experienced birth injury attorney. Contact our offices by phone, email, or text message, and we’ll help you make sense of what happened to you and your child.